WTF? (Where’s The Fun?) - February 2014

Who: Mike DoyleWhat: 2002 Pontiac Trans AmWhere: Fulton, MissouriWhy: We like the cool, purposeful look of Mike's Trans Am. He says he's done some basic modifications, including upgrading to Trick Flow heads and a Vengeance Racing cam. He also has some BMR suspension parts, a Strange S60 rear, and a 4,000-stall Yank torque converter. The combination is good for 11.80s at about 114 mph at the track.

2/10

Alternative Body Style

Who: Otha StarkeyWhat: 1978 Ford Mustang II GhiaWhere: Marysville, WashingtonWhy: Otha says his first car was a 1957 Chevy he bought in 1967 when he was 16 years old and has been hooked on cars ever since. He's currently proud of this Mustang II he's dubbed White Stallion. The driveline is all-original with a 302, a C4 transmission, and an 8-inch rear. Otha is working on some body and paint issues before freshening up the engine with a new cam and headers.

3/10

Long-Term T-Bird

4/10

Who: Gary SkeltonWhat: 1965 Ford ThunderbirdWhere: Collingwood, OntarioWhy: Gary says he's been working on his Thunderbird for 14 years, and he's finally almost done. Originally painted green, Gary's car is now finished with a titanium-metallic paint. He rebuilt the 390 with a Crane Energizer cam, an Edelbrock Performer intake, and powdercoated headers. Many custom touches can be found inside, including a GM basket handle shifter in the center console. It rides on an air suspension from Ride Tech, and Gary says he drives it a lot during the summer months.

5/10

6/10"Jim Duncan doing a burnout in his 1966 Tempest. It has a 0.030-over 455 with a 6-71 blower. On the dyno, it made 600 hp and 610 lb-ft. This car hates tires!"
—Mike Zellmer, Tomah, Washington

8/10"The pleasure of taking out a Mustang with a four-door sedan puts a smile on a lot of faces, mostly mine." —Matt Foran, Numedia, Pennsylvania

9/10"Because I love America. And I love your projects, tech, coverage of the Panther chassis, and all the other stuff you do to help us broke guys!" —Kyle Dubasak, Cleveland, Ohio

Blown-Up Parts of the Month

10/10

Philip Peacock of Buffalo, New York, writes: "This was a powdered-metal rod failure in my small-block-powered Henry J. I had an instant two-piece oil pan during the One-Two shift. Oil went under the slicks, and it was a sphincter-tightening moment as I got a close look at the guard rail a couple different times." Has a broken part caused you similar muscle tension?

Send pictures (of the parts, not your clenched muscles!) to CarCraft@CarCraft.com, and please put Blown Up in the subject line.

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